The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) has stated it is against federalism and criticised the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) call for devolution. Leader of the LSSP Tissa Vitharana said at a press conference that his party was “displeased” and that they “condemn the call for a Federal State by the TNA at this crucial juncture”. Mr Vitharana went on to accuse the TNA of fuelling “racist elements in the South”. The LSSP joins a wide range of other Sinhalese parties across the political spectrum to have spoken out against devolving powers to the North-East, a key demand in the TNA election manifesto. His comments came as he called on the public to vote against the UNP in the upcoming general election, stating that the United States wants to establish military bases in Sri Lanka and the UNP had agreed to do so.
The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran said he would remain neutral and non-partisan during next month's general election, despite being elected to his seat by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). "I feel it would be wrong for me to be seen at any political meeting of the TNA candidates though it was they who elected me. I am one who would be able to work with whomsoever our people are pleased to elect. Whatever the result may be it is hoped that whosoever is elected should work united for the betterment and well being of our people. The welfare and wellbeing of our people takes precedence over Party considerations," the former chief justice said in a statement released on Wednesday, comparing his current predicament to a similar situation when he was elected to be the president of the Law College. Drawing attention to a recent address made to Tamils in London on July 17, Mr Wigneswaran reiterated: "As far as the Tamil representatives are concerned we need those who would conform to the norms set by Valluvar - honest in politics, strong in principles, dedicated in people's service, far in sight and incorruptible in spirit. Such persons must stress the individuality of our community, they must confirm our right to self determination, they must be prepared to work ceaselessly to obtain the rights of our people and to obtain justice for them."
A senior leader of the United National Front has called on Tamils to integrate with the larger Sinhala society in order to progress. Champika Ranawaka, the leader of the JHU which is a founder and partner of the UNP-led UNF, said to The Hindu that Indian-origin Tamils and Muslims had progressed well because “they simply integrate [themselves] with the Sinhalese,” adding that if Tamils followed suit, “they can [also] achieve a lot.” Contrary to Mr Ranawaka’s claims, Indian-origin Tamils and Muslims still face widespread discrimination and have limited political power. On the discussions about...
The Sri Lankan government will not agree to an international investigation looking into former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s involvement in war crimes. Cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said the government will set up a domestic mechanism to investigate the allegations. He said the government would not agree, even if the report by the OHCHR Investigation in Sri Lanka (OISL) recommended an international court for those accused of war crimes.
Sri Lanka's election commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya, said on Tuesday that all candidates in next month's general election, must reaffirm their commitment to keeping the country as a unitary state, reports The Island . Speaking at a press briefing, Mr Deshapriya made these remarks in response to allegations that candidates within the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) were promoting separatism.
The bodies of three males were discovered in separate incidents in Batticaloa this month. The body of a 44 year old man was found in the Keechchaan region og Kaaththaankudi in Batticaloa on Sunday, reported BattiNews and TamilNet. Photograph BattiNews On the same day, the body of an unidentified male was spotted in a lagoon in Batticaloa, the paper also reported.
The Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales Lee Rhiannon, described the findings of the International Truth & Justice Project (ITJP) report into Sri Lanka as a “horrifying” account of ongoing torture against Tamils “under complete impunity.” In a media release that called for accountability and an independent international war crimes investigation and action to stop the “on going structural genocide” in Sri Lanka, Ms Rhiannon said: “The newly documented evidence of torture, sexual violence and harassment of Tamils by officials in Sri Lanka under complete impunity and as recently as July 2015, is horrifying."
Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment Chairman Upul Jayasuriya expressed confidence that the upcoming parliamentary elections would see the current government “re-elected with confidence.” Speaking to Bloomberg Business , Mr Jayasuriya said that there would be “better tranquillity” in Sri Lanka for foreign investment after the upcoming parliamentary elections, adding, “This is going to create more hope or better tranquillity in the state power in the investment climate. A lot of hope has been given by the election manifesto placed in front of the people in Sir Lanka by the ruling party.” Sri Lankan election commissioner says candidates must affirm commitment to unitary state (30 Jul 2015) UNP coalition partner calls for on Tamils to ‘integrate’ with Sinhalese (30 Jul 2015) Sri Lanka will ‘not agree’ to international war crimes probe against Mahinda (30 Jul 2015) Sinhala nationalist organisations rally against federalism (30 Jul 2015)
The US State Department stated that “the Government of Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” in its annual ‘Trafficking in Persons Report’. Released this week, the report placed Sri Lanka on the’ Tier 2 Watch List’ for a third consecutive year, noting that it was only granted a waiver from dropping even further as the “government has a written plan” to combat trafficking. The report noted that it has not yet been implemented. The report also stated that “for the fourth consecutive year, authorities failed to convict any traffickers under Sri Lanka’s trafficking statute—indicative of a continued lack of understanding of trafficking and inability to adequately investigate these crimes”. Despite Sri Lanka’s inter-ministerial anti-trafficking taskforce continuing to meet monthly, “the government made minimal progress in its efforts to prevent trafficking,” the report added.
The left wing Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) stated it was opposed to federalism, in response to the manifesto released by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) this week. JVP Propaganda Secretary and Member of Parliament Vijitha Herath told The Island , "the JVP is against federalism”. Whilst accepting that “the grievances of the Tamil people should be redressed,” Mr Herath reiterated that “federalism is not that solution”. He also spoke out against the merging of the Northern and Eastern provinces, as outlined by the Indo-Lanka accord, which saw the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution signed. “It is the JVP that went before the courts and got an order to demerge the two provinces that had been arbitrarily merged after the Indo-Lanka Accord,” said Mr Herath. “These two provinces should function separately.” His comments come after the release of an election manifesto by the TNA, which called for constitutional changes that accept the Tamil people's entitlement to their right to self-determination under the United Nations International Covenants on Civil political rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICCPR).